The Global Governance Initiative (GGI) was proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping on September 1. It supports countries of the Global South, including those in Africa, to accelerate their integration into a multipolar, interconnected world order.

The initiative is rooted in a Chinese vision that values civilizational pluralism, aligns closely with the particularities of African societies and supports them to enhance their global role. It encourages political leaders to pursue peaceful coexistence and promotes the resolution of conflicts—consistent with China’s vision of fostering global peace.

The initiative will help Africa overcome the colonial legacy and Western economic domination that have long hindered the continent’s progress—a continent historically exploited by external powers under a fading unipolar order.

The GGI

The GGI carries seeds of hope and practical solutions inspired by the Chinese model of development. China’s achievements in serving the public good have elevated its global standing, enabling it to advocate for economic independence, resist imposed globalization and confront exploitation and bullying.

Xi’s proposal signals that the future holds great potential—provided it is matched by the strong will and cooperation among the nations of the Global South on the basis of equality, shared interests and mutual benefit. The initiative also aligns with the ongoing structural transformation of the global economic system.

Africa, with its vast demographic wealth—where youth make up 60 percent of the population—is a key partner in this vision. This new generation has witnessed China’s remarkable achievements and views it as a reliable partner through the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which has strengthened development ties and highlighted China’s growing role in advancing African economies.

President Xi has often stated that China and Africa are on a new journey to jointly building a community with a shared future, especially amid global instability that demands a solidarity stronger than ever before.

In 2023, Xi reaffirmed that Beijing stands ready to work with the developing world in practicing true multilateralism, increasing the representation and voice of the Global South in global governance and enhancing cooperation on climate change, food security and the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda—all to protect shared interests and expand development space for the developing world.

China’s engagement in Africa also focuses on industrialization, with Chinese enterprises present across the continent, building factories and infrastructure that facilitate the transfer of technology and empower African economies to join the ranks of manufacturing nations.

Moreover, China is integrating AI technologies into cooperation plans. Hardly any joint forum or workshop today is without discussions on AI. China also welcomes African visitors to Beijing for training programs and showcases in renewable energy projects, reflecting a genuine desire to share expertise and innovation.

Thus, the GGI seeks to spread China’s values of progress, share its development experience and prepare African economies to meet rising global demand, enhance exchange and restore the continent’s rightful place within a fairer global governance framework.

The Belt and Road?Initiative

To prevent Africa from remaining a “cake” divided by foreign interests, African policymakers must recognize that their collective strength lies in South-South unity.

China, which proposed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), financing ports, roads, health and education projects in African nations, is well positioned to shape the future framework of Africa’s external relations.

The BRI, an initiative boosting connectivity along and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes, especially the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road, includes several countries in East and Southeast Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar and South Africa), in North Africa (Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco and Algeria), as well as inland states such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

By 2025, more than 150 countries and 30 international organizations had signed onto the BRI. China has signed memorandums of understanding with 52 African countries and the African Union on jointly implementing the BRI.

In contrast, continued Western hegemony and military interventions to install compliant regimes represent a futile attempt to obstruct the emergence of a new global order based on balance and civilizational diversity.

Western blocs, mired in economic stagnation and cultural arrogance, continue to push Africa toward harsh neoliberal globalization, while China offers a fair, socialist-oriented model that aligns with national development goals and provides a secure environment for investment and shared prosperity.

On June 11, representatives from China, 53 African countries and the African Union Commission met in Changsha, Hunan Province, to advance the full implementation of the outcomes achieved at last year’s FOCAC summit in Beijing.

President Xi sent a message to the opening ceremony of the ministerial coordinators’ meeting, emphasizing the importance of solidarity and cooperation between China and Africa, and announcing new measures to deepen partnership with the continent.

His message reflected a profound understanding of the need to strengthen this partnership and recognize Africa’s central role in the international landscape. With Africa being one of the largest continents and China the world’s largest developing economy, their growing proximity helps safeguard cultural diversity and provides balance in an era of rapid global change.

China’s wisdom lies not only in calling for the unity of the Global South through the GGI but also in laying down the practical foundations for success—dynamic markets, adaptable economies and resilient cultural roots that withstand external shocks. Solidarity, in China’s vision, rests on mutual benefit, trust and the defense of Global South unity, free trade, global development cooperation, a just international order and the flourishing of civilizational diversity.

The author is assistant editor in chief of the Social Affairs Department at Tunis Afrique Presse.